Rafał Hykawy is the Chargé d’affaires a.i.
of the Republic of Poland in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
1. Please introduce yourself to our members explaining your background and career trajectory ?
2. What are the values which guide your decision making and why are these values important to you ?
3. Please explain the responsibilities and authority of Poland during its EU presidency ?
4. What were the original objectives Poland set for itself during this Presidency ?
5. How have the circumstances of the war in Ukraine changed those objectives and what are the current Polish EU presidency objectives ?
6. What has been the impact ( both negative and positive) caused by the resettlement of over 1 million Ukrainian refugees as currently hoisted by Poland ?
7. What is the current status of Polish military readiness and what additional steps are in process to make further improvements ?
8. What is the % of GDP invested by Poland in its defense and what does Poland say to other European allies and friends within NATO regarding joint defense collaboration ?
9. How reliant is Poland on weapons of US origin and is Poland satisfied with its bilateral and within NATO mutual support relations with the USA ?
10. Are there any open or ongoing items on the agenda regarding future US/Polish military and economic cooperation ?
11. What is the Polish position on European defense initiatives which exclude the USA ?
12. What is the Polish government’s position and concerns related to Ukranian -Russian peace initiatives ?
13. Please feel free to add any additional information you wish to add to this interview ?
Professional career
I am a Polish civil servant, working in government administration for over 30 years. In the 1990s, when historical changes were taking place in Europe and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe were beginning to regain their independence, I decided that I would also like to make my modest contribution to these processes. I feel very satisfied with my professional life. I participated in many “historical” events, meetings and conversations that would make for interesting diaries. Unfortunately, there was never enough time and perseverance to write them. Maybe I’ll get back to it one day.
I hope, I have played my modest part in Poland’s membership of the European Union as a third of my professional life was spent working in the ministry that coordinated our preparations for membership. At that time, we worked in one department with, among others, the current Polish EU Commissioner, the current Deputy Minister responsible for migration issues in the government, the current ambassador heading our EU Permanent Representation and the current head of the EC Representation in Warsaw. It is a further proof of how interesting and engaging working for the public good and public affairs can be.
In a nutshell, my professional life has been about European affairs, the management of public institutions, supporting the Prime Minister and ministers in the implementation of their constitutional tasks. I have professional experience in policy planning, coordination and policy advisory roles at government’s level. Experience in managing, coordinating and supervising of governmental undertakings and implementation of governmental policy and action plans. I’ve served in the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland as Director of the Prime Ministers’ Secretariat, Deputy Director of the PM’s Office but also as an expert in the Foreign Relations Department. I also twice held the highest position in the Polish civil service, when I was responsible for managing Polish key ministries as a director general – first the Office of the Committee for European Integration and later the Chancellery of the Prime Minister as acting director general.
Furthermore, based on these experiences, I have also supported, as expert in EU-funded projects, the governments and administrations of countries aspiring to membership in meeting the membership criteria, creating efficient centres of government and modern administration (Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and N. Macedonia).
And so, my previous professional experience brought me to Luxembourg. It is a new, very important and challenging role for me. Although I have been professionally involved in European politics for many years, I have never been a professional diplomat until now but I’m persuaded that my differentiated governmental experience will be my important asset. Luxembourg is a key bilateral partner for Poland. It is also a founding member of the European Communities, and its position and initiatives in the EU are heard and respected by other countries. During my term of office, I intend to build on what my predecessors have achieved in strengthening bilateral relation between our countries, but also develop new projects.
Polish EU–Presidency
We have recently passed the halfway point of the second Polish EU Presidency. Unfortunately there is no chance of us catching up with the Luxemburgish experience in this respect, because we became a member of the EU much later only after leaving the Soviet sphere of influence and regaining independence. But even though this is only our second time leading, it seems that we are doing well.
The geopolitical context of these two Presidencies is completely different. Europe is still facing the consequences of the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the need to strengthen its own defence capacities. We are witnessing geopolitical tensions which are likely to affect the policies and strategies of the EU and national governments much more today than in previous years. We are facing a growing number of hybrid attacks on European society, European unity, the functioning of European and national institutions as well as electoral processes aimed at destabilising democratic elected governments.
The EU has also to find an adequate response to the trade policy of the new US administration and remain consistent. There is no doubt that the final solutions have to be mutually beneficial and acceptable. In parallel the EU has to improve its economic competitiveness and address challenges resulting from the necessary energy transition.
Taking into account these factors and circumstances, the fundamental challenge for our Presidency is to increase the level and the sense of security in key aspects of the functioning of the Union that are important to citizens. This is why the priorities of our Presidency are based on the motto of “SECURITY” in seven various dimensions: external, internal, information, economic, energy, food and health.
The Presidency involves working simultaneously on the coordination of numerous files, in which process we act as an honest broker. In two and a half months, we will ‘add it all up’ and present a complex summary of our activities. But we don’t want to measure the future final assessment of our achievements only in terms of the number of dossiers closed, but rather in terms of progress in debates and solutions to the most burning problems of Europeans.
Transatlantic relations
Poland’s security and defence policy is based on two pillars: transatlantic and European. Our commitment to NATO and bilateral relations with the US is unwavering. We continue to invest in the Alliance and in close transatlantic ties. At the same time, we put effort in European security cooperation through EU as well as on bilateral basis. Our major goal remains security and prosperity for both Europe and America. We understand that US wants Europe to take more responsibility for its own security and we will continue to act to achieve that.
European defence efforts should reflect the European economic potential, which is comparable to that of the US. If all European nations unite their rearmament efforts and stand ready to take responsibility for our own security into our own hands, nobody will not be tempted to test our determination. Poland is in the lead with its defence budget of 4,7% GDP. We very much appreciate the long-standing strategic cooperation with United States’ companies in advancing modernization of Polish Armed Forces.
Increased European defence efforts should not, however, be interpreted as an incentive for the US to reduce its engagement in NATO. On the contrary, in the face of threats to transatlantic security, Poland will seek European and transatlantic unity. Current stakes are not limited to sovereign Ukraine, but encompass future form of the European security architecture.
European defence
Prime Minister D. Tusk, while presenting our Presidency’s priorities in the European Parliament emphasized that Europe cannot afford to save on security: “If Europe is to survive, it needs to be armed”. Referring to J. F. Kennedy’s famous quote, he also stated: “Don’t ask America what it can do for our security, ask yourselves what we can do for our own security”.
There’s no doubt that war on the European continent requires increased investment in the Union’s defence capabilities. There is no discrepancy between the expectations of the American administration and the awareness of the need for EU and NATO countries to take the necessary measures. The issue, of course from the perspective of different countries, is the pace and means of achieving this goal. Russia’s reaction to American expectations and actions to end the war in Ukraine once again shows that we should hurry.
As we announced in our Presidency priorities, Poland pushed for an in-depth debate on defence financing and worked intensively in recent months together with the Commission and member states on strategic documents foreseeing measures necessary for ensuring adequate plans and funding for a wide scope of European defence measures and undertakings.
European leaders unanimously supported the European Commision (“EC”) ReArm Europe plan, which provides for up to €800 billion for armaments. Its implementation framework is described in the EC White Paper on defence, which provides for the relaxation of budgetary discipline on defence spending and allows for the reallocation of EU budget resources to strengthen the industrial base of the defence sector. The draft SAFE (Security Action for Europe) regulation provides for loans secured by the EU budget, providing €150 billion for joint and also individual defence procurement within the EU. Simplified procurement procedures and VAT exemption will speed up access to these funds. In addition, talks on EU defence financing are being continued with the involvement of the European Investment Bank.
War in Ukraine
Poland highly estimates the USA’s engagement in mediation between Ukraine and Russia. We believe, that if there is no progress on ceasefire negotiations within a clear time framework, both the EU and the US should respond with increasing the economic pressure. Thanks to the efforts of our Presidency, on the third anniversary of the aggression against Ukraine, a 16th package of sanctions was adopted.
We need to help Ukraine achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace. This can only be achieved through strength. Therefore, we support the proposal by the High Representative K. Kallas, Vice-President of the European Commission, to enhance EU military assistance to Kyiv. Cessation of the hostilities cannot be an aim in itself. We need a comprehensive and durable peace, which respects all basic international rules and Ukrainian sovereignty. The future of European security depends on independence of Ukraine.
As part of our Presidency, it is our job to remind people in Luxembourg who the aggressor is in this war. We participated in the march for support of Ukraine, organised a conference on the third anniversary of the invasion and presented an exhibition of photographs by Polish photographers documenting the barbarity of war and the suffering of civilians. Until this war ends with a just peace, we will continue these activities.
With regard to the “coalition of the willing” efforts, Poland is fully committed to further help Ukraine and assumes its responsibility for its pivotal role in ensuring Europe’s security. In this regard, Poland is fulfilling its tasks as a NATO/EU flank state. As already mentioned, we are spending almost 5 % of GDP for defence. We are strengthening the security of our eastern borders and actively participate in NATO’s efforts to enhance deterrence and defence of the Eastern flank. We are actively participating in the works on reassurance mission. In our efforts we are focused on the enablement aspect, drawing on experience related to the functioning of the POLLOGHUB* in Rzeszów-Jasionka.
The European Parliament recently passed a resolution recognising the Eastern Shield and the Baltic Defence Line as flagship projects for common security, serving to deter potential threats from the east. The value of the multi-year Eastern Shield programme, which will cover the entire eastern border, will exceed PLN 10 billion. The European Council conclusions of 6 March 2025 indicated that this project contributes to the security of the whole of Europe. As a result, the Eastern Shield was included in the European Commission’s White Paper as a critical capability.
EU Enlargement
Enlargement remains at the forefront of the EU’s policy agenda among our top priorities. Our objective is to make overall progress in the enlargement process and negotiations under our Presidency, both in the East and in the Western Balkans. Candidate countries, if they truly want to join the EU, must be fully dedicated to the core European values.
The 4th meeting of the Accession Conference with Albania was held in Luxembourg few days ago. The European Union delegation was led by R. Sikorski, Minister of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of the Polish Presidency, with the participation of Commissioner for Enlargement M. Kos. The meeting served to open negotiations on Cluster 2: Internal market. This concrete progress reflects our strong commitment towards our partners in the Western Balkans, a region which is key for the stability and security of the EU.
We believe that negotiations with Ukraine will be unblocked in the first half of this year. Future membership of the EU is essential to maintaining the pro-European course of a society living in the reality of a war unleashed by a country that denies Ukraine’s right to statehood.
Still having in mind our own specific experience of the past years and the re-appearance of authoritarian anti-democratic tendencies in some countries we strongly emphasise within this process the need for maintenance of the principles of the rule of law. When Poles joined the EU 20 years ago, they did not think only about economic prosperity, but above all about rights and freedoms. Looking back from the perspective of such a short time, we see that we must continue to remind the younger generation in particular what the reality was like in our region before the EU enlargement in 2004.
It is also important to note, that in March the EU General Affairs Council adopted a regulation on establishing a Reform and Growth Facility for the Republic of Moldova. The Facility is the largest EU financial support package since Moldova gained independence. Its main objective is to boost the country’s economy and accelerate the reforms necessary to bring Moldova closer to EU membership.
Hybrid attacks
The EU cannot be helpless against lies and disinformation that have become a tool and a weapon against EU as well as countries aspiring for membership. Our aim in this Presidency is to strengthen within the Union the coordination and cooperation in countering disinformation and information manipulation. We cannot reduce the problem to the conventional menaces in the context of attempts to influence parliamentary and presidential campaigns as observed during recent elections in Georgia and Moldova, as well as ahead of planned elections in Poland and Romania.
Another manifestation of hybrid attacks is the instrumentalisation of migration that we are witnessing on the Polish border. Poland has been the subject of an organised action for several months. It consists of promising migrants from poor countries a better life in Europe, to which the road leads through our border. Their journeys are organised and paid for. It is only when they arrive at the border that the migrants realise they have been conned. However, they cannot return to the airport and are forced to cross the border illegally. The aim of this action is to “show” EU citizens not only in Poland that the EU, that democracy, is “weak because it allegedly cannot cope with protecting its own borders and territory”. This is obviously not true, and such a narrative, backed up by actions on such a scale, requires an effective response.
We secured during this Presidency the unanimous adoption of the Warsaw Call on challenges to cybersecurity, which calls for better coordination of the protection of submarine cable infrastructure, strengthening civil-military cooperation, information exchange, tackling the shortage of cybersecurity specialists in the EU, and simplifying regulations to foster innovation. We support the European Commission in its work on the European Democracy Shield, which will help combat foreign information manipulation, protect democratic processes and strengthen civil society.
We are coordinating works on new innovative solutions to combat illegal migration and human trafficking. We have resumed work on measures against carriers who facilitate the smuggling of migrants. We are strengthening cooperation within the European Union in the fight against human trafficking, including the shift of human smuggling to cyberspace. We support the European Commission in its work on a new common European return system.
At the same time we look forward to participating in the planned celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the creation of the Schengen area in Luxembourg in June. Ministers of internal affairs will arrive first for separate ceremonies, followed by the heads of diplomacy of the Member States. This is yet another important reminder of Luxembourg’s key role in building today’s Union.
Energy security
Long before the Russian aggression Poland was trying to ringing alarm bells saying that the EU should not be dependent on Russia. Unfortunately, it was only the war that showed that we were right but that is no reason to be satisfied. Poland is a leader and a promoter of strengthening the EU’s energy security, where the reliability and assurance of energy raw material supplies is essential.
Our priority is to create conditions and incentives for full independence from Russian energy sources. In this Presidency we work on instruments to enhance the physical and cyber security of the EU’s energy infrastructure, as well as its neighbouring countries.
During our Presidency the synchronisation of the Baltic States’ (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) electricity systems with the European continental grid was successfully completed. This is the culmination of many years of work: after 20 years, all electricity connections between the Baltics, Russia and Belarus have been permanently disconnected. The synchronisation was carried out via the Polish system, with Polskie Sieci Energetyczne responsible for coordinating the project.
In addition, the EC and Moldova have agreed on a two-year comprehensive strategy to make Moldova independent of unreliable energy supplies from Russia and fully integrate it into the EU energy market. Support will amount to €250 million by the end of 2025. Thanks to financial assistance, diversification of energy supplies and support for reforms, Moldova is becoming independent of Russian raw materials and integrating into the European market, strengthening its pro-European course.
We are mobilising EU countries and institutions within and outside the EU (the so-called donor platform, the Energy Community) to provide support for Ukraine’s energy sector during attacks on critical infrastructure. The Presidency is launching a discussion on preparations for the coming winter in Ukraine and on reducing the risk to investments.
Enhancing competitiveness
Simplifying EU rules, shortening procedures and reducing reporting requirements, especially for SMEs, and making the rules for implementing energy and climate change policies more flexible are important objectives of our Presidency. Our ambition is also to advance as much as possible other important simplification initiatives that have been proposed by the Commission. We are committed to proceed it swiftly so that businesses know where they stand as early as possible. A good example is the adoption of the stop-the-clock directive is an important step to cut the red tape and radically improve the business environment in the EU.
We have also addressed the issue of lowering energy prices as a condition for competitiveness and support further integration of the European energy market. In the Clean Industrial Deal, the European Commission confirmed that energy prices are the most pressing issue for EU industries and the EU economy. The European Commission presented an Affordable Energy Action Plan.
We have agreed that trade policy serves to implement industrial policy and should be more closely linked to it. The Clean Industrial Deal presented by the European Commission, which aims to support energy-intensive industries, confirms the need for urgent support for the competitiveness of traditional sectors facing the greatest challenges (chemical, steel, automotive), which also serve to rebuild European defence capabilities.
The Competitiveness Compass presented by the Commission reflects the Presidency’s priority approach to the problem of high and unpredictable energy prices, the need to complete the single market, reduce administrative burdens on businesses and pay greater attention to energy-intensive industries. The EC’s proposal for a Union of savings and investment will help to involve the private sector in financing important investments, including in defence. We are working on harmonising bankruptcy law, which is important for the competitiveness and development of capital markets.
The European Commission has planned numerous Omnibus simplification packages, including on reporting, sustainable development and investment. We are working on simplifying the obligations and reporting requirements for the implementation of the carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), including reducing the number of entities covered by the mechanism while maintaining the objective of protecting European industry from unfair competition.
We have placed great emphasis on the discussion on the European single market. We presented a black paper** on remaining barriers in the EU’s internal market so that the European Commission can take its conclusions into account before publishing its Single Market Strategy in June 2025, which will focus on facilitating the cross-border movement of goods and services, speeding up administrative procedures and reducing burdens.
What I mentioned is, of course, only a fraction of what the Presidency does in cooperation with the EC and member states, so I am sure I have omitted something important…
* As part of the material support of Ukraine Poland has created, with assistance from the US, POLLOGHUB: a logistical hub in Rzeszów. It collects and ships global military assistance to Ukraine. It is estimated that over 80% of military donations to the Ukrainian partner has crossed Polish territory. source
** According the Economic Times of India, “A Black Paper presents a critical or dissenting viewpoint on a particular topic, issue, or policy. It challenges prevailing narratives, policies, or viewpoints through critical analysis, addressing controversial subjects, providing evidence, and proposing alternative approaches.” source